lighting technology | Pegasus Lighting Blog

The Difference Between LEDs and CFLs: The Future

May 062013

This is the concluding post in a series exploring the differences between LEDs and CFLs. To read the entire series, click here.

We’ve spent the last several weeks figuring out all the ways LEDs and CFLs are different. We’ve learned practical facts about each light source, like LEDs have longer rated lives, CFLs contain mercury, LEDs are more durable, and CFLs emit omnidirectional light (to name a few). All this makes for an excellent understanding of the current state of lighting technology.

Today, LEDs and CFLs are still rivals on the market. But will it always be like this?

The development and improvement of LED technology is still taking place, while the CFL’s technological development has reached an endpoint. It’s really thanks to LEDs that we’re in the midst of a very dynamic lighting revolution.

Since CFLs are already completely developed as a viable lighting technology, many lighting specialists think of them as the bridge between old incandescent lights and innovative LED lights. They’re an effective, efficient bridge, but a bridge nonetheless. We don’t expect CFLs to be popular forever. Continue reading »

Share|

The Difference Between CFLs and LEDs: Low Temperature Tolerance

Light Bulbs No Responses »

Mar 292013

PinExt The Difference Between CFLs and LEDs: Low Temperature Tolerance

This post is part of a series written to help you understand the differences between the popular CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) and the newest kind of light bulb: the LED (light emitting diode). You can browse the entire series here.

Depending on where you plan to use your light bulb, you may need to consider how it will react to the space’s temperature.

For a chilly area, like outdoors in a cool climate or inside a refrigerator/freezer, an LED will work best for you.

LEDs love cold environments. In fact, using them in places with cooler temperatures may even make them last longer – beyond their standard rated lives.

CFLs, on the other hand, require a lot of heat to initially turn on. When you operate them in below-freezing temperatures, you’ll have a hard time even getting them to start up.

So why do LEDs thrive in cooler temperatures? Continue reading »

Share|

Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting In March

Pegasus Lighting Roundup No Responses »

Mar 252013

PinExt Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting In March

Here’s what’s been going on in the lighting world this month…

In Lighting News…

A Wal-Mart store in Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin has equipped all its indoor and outdoor facilities with LED lights. The areas now illuminated by LEDs include the sales floor, pharmacy, restrooms, stock rooms, and the parking lot. Wal-Mart expects to save at least 30% of their energy costs, compared to their old fluorescent lighting systems. Click here to learn more.

On March 5th “The Bay Lights,” an LED light sculpture, illuminated San Francisco’s Bay Bridge for the first time with 25,000 LED lights. The project only costs $15.06 per night to operate, and was designed by artist Leo Villareal on a laptop. Check out this video from the grand lighting ceremony:

Share|

Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting in February

Pegasus Lighting Roundup No Responses »

Feb 252013

PinExt Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting in February

What’s been on the tip of everyone’s tongue this month? One word: quality. From new standards for quality lights, to tips on using light to improve your quality of life, we’ve got you covered. Here are this month’s top stories…

In Lighting News…

Is Color Rendering Index (CRI) the most accurate measure of a light’s quality? With all the innovations happening in the lighting world right now, the Color Quality Scale (CQS) might just be a better judge. CRI measures a light’s performance rendering only 8 different colors. CQS, on the other hand, measures 15, and accounts for other factors like chromatic discrimination and human preference. Click here to learn more about CQS.

news ucdavis edu Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting in February

Image via News.UCDavis.edu

In December 2012 the California Lighting Technology Center at the University of California, Davis helped encourage the California Energy Commission to include new standards of quality for LED replacement lamps in its first-in-the-nation energy-efficiency directive. Now, the center is pushing for similar LED standards on a national scale. You can learn more about this initiative here. Continue reading »

Share|

What is Lighting CRI?

Lighting Tips No Responses »

Feb 192013

Kozzi selection of coloured pencil crayons 294x441 200x300 What is Lighting CRI?
If you’ve been shopping for new light bulbs or light fixtures recently, you may have spotted these three little letters: CRI. (Hint: Usually, there’s a number next to them too).

What’s this mysterious measurement?

CRI stands for Color Rendering Index. In plain English, that means it’s the measure of a lamp’s ability to render colors accurately. The scale ranges from 1 (low pressure sodium lamps) to 100 (the sun). A CRI of 85 and above is considered very good.

When does CRI matter?

Since a lamp’s color rendering index is an aesthetic measurement, the answer here really hinges on how you want whatever you’re lighting to look. If you go through the trouble of picking out a particular shade of blue to paint your dining room with, you don’t want your lights to distort the color. Continue reading »

Share|

LEDs Allow New Method of Data Transmission

Lighting News No Responses »

Feb 112013

PinExt LEDs Allow New Method of Data Transmission

Kozzi Computer Keyboard and Monitor 426x304 300x214 LEDs Allow New Method of Data Transmission
At the University of Strathclyde, researchers are developing tiny LEDs that can deliver Wi-Fi-like internet access. Called Li-Fi (short for Light Fidelity), this system has the potential to transmit data several times faster than what we’re used to.

Professor Martin Dawson and his team created tiny LEDs, each about the size of an end of human hair, which flicker on and off thousands of times every second. By altering the length of these flickers, the lights can send digital information to computers and other electronic devices. Picture it as a sort of digital Morse code.

The micron-sized LEDs are made so small to allow for more data transmission at a faster rate. The university’s LEDs can flicker at a rate 1,000 times faster than larger LEDs. Why? Well, if you have 1,000 micron-sized LEDs, they can fit into the same space as a single 1mm LED. Each tiny LED acts as an individual communication channel, which allows the transmission of about a million times more data.

Suddenly, a large LED display, with each tiny LED acting as a pixel, can also allow internet communications. Continue reading »

Share|

Lighting Wins and Losses From Super Bowl XLVII

Lighting News No Responses »

Feb 042013

PinExt Lighting Wins and Losses From Super Bowl XLVII

Well, they told us yesterday’s Super Bowl would be the greenest one to date, but they failed to mention that as part of the plan to save energy they were going to turn the lights out in the second half.

Just kidding. This year’s Super Bowl might go down in the books for its lighting “abnormality,” but certainly there were some “bright spots” about this year’s lighting as well. Today, I’m going to reflect on both.

Superbowl Blackout NY Times Lighting Wins and Losses From Super Bowl XLVII

Image via NYTimes.com

Here at Pegasus Lighting, we were all so excited to ogle the Mercedes-Benz Superdome’s new lighting system, and it didn’t disappoint. (At least through halftime, that is.) The Superdome’s exterior featured more than 26,000 LED lights on a whopping 96 full-color graphic display panels. These panels flooded the building in a spectrum of animated colors, patterns,and images. We were especially impressed knowing that the system used only 10 kilowatts of electricity, which if you can believe it, is the amount used to power a small house. Not to mention that if the LEDs are used for an average of 6 hours per day, they won’t need to be replaced until 2057.

Super Dome Washington Post Lighting Wins and Losses From Super Bowl XLVII

Image via WashingtonPost.com

Share|

Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting in January

Pegasus Lighting Roundup No Responses »

Jan 282013

PinExt Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting in January

incandescent 300x199 Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Lighting in January

Image via Cleveland.com

It’s a new year, and we’re back to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in the lighting world. So far, 2013 has brought us tons of lighting innovations, brilliant tips on improving your life with light, and some just plain cool stuff…

In Lighting News…

Starting January 1, import and manufacture of the 75-watt incandescent light bulb were banned in the U.S. as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The goal here is to move the country to a higher efficiency standard to save energy, money, and natural resources. To learn more about the act, how it affects consumers, and how to adapt, check out this article from Cleveland.com or our own recent blog post on the matter.

Philips has come out with a new way to try on clothing in retail shops called the AmbiScene Fitting Room System. The system’s LEDs let customers adjust the lighting in their dressing rooms. To see how your clothes look in different places, you can choose settings that mimic the seasons, different times of day, and even different locations like the office or a nightclub. The system is also perfect for retail displays. Check out this video to see how it works:

Share|

Views From Above: City Lights As Seen From Miles High

Thoughts on Light No Responses »

Jan 252013

PinExt Views From Above: City Lights As Seen From Miles High

Around the world, every city offers something different. Though they all have hustle and bustle, lots of buildings, and usually traffic, when you’re on their streets you would never mistake San Francisco for Cairo, Toronto for Tokyo, or Berlin for Rio de Janeiro. But what about from space? During the day, these cities tend to blend in with their surrounding countryside. However, when lit up at night, it’s easy to see how varied these cities can be.

Is it possible to tell anything about the life and culture of our cities when viewing their lights from above? You might be surprised at how much.

Landmarks

Can you guess which cultural icon jumps out of this landscape?

Vegas Strip EarthObservatory NASA gov Views From Above: City Lights As Seen From Miles High

Image via EarthObservatory.NASA.gov

Share|

Myth: LEDs Are Light Bulbs

Thoughts on Light No Responses »

Jan 162013

This post is the third installment in a series on disproving common misconceptions about LED lights. The first myth we addressed was whether or not LEDs save energy – read that here. Then, we covered whether or not LEDs actually work – read that here.

Okay, okay. Yes, LED light bulbs do exist. LED light bulbs are everywhere these days, actually. No prevaricating on this blog! But, I’m not lying when I tell you LED light bulbs aren’t light bulbs. They emit light, and yes, they come in indisputably bulbous shapes, but they’re so much more than simple light bulbs.

What Your Light Bulb And Your Laptop Have In Common

It may be more accurate to describe the LED light bulb as a type of computer.

Where old fashioned incandescent light bulbs create light with rudimentary filaments, LEDs create light with the same kind of technology that makes your computer do its thing: the microchip.

Like computers, many LEDs can be easily programmed, and can even connect to WiFi. With this kind of simple-to-manipulate technology, LEDs might just surprise you with their many capabilities.

What LEDs Can Do

Here are just a few of the possibilities… Continue reading »

Share|

Older Entries